Here's your daily briefing...
Volkswagen scandal: A nearly $15 billion deal over Volkswagen’s emissions cheating scandal was approved by a federal judge today. National Public Radio reports U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer gave the deal final approval this morning calling the deal “fair, adequate and reasonable.” According to the Associated Press, the deal calls for Volkswagen to repair or buy back about 475,000 Volkswagen and Audi vehicles with 2-liter engines and to additionally pay affected car owners up to $10,000 each. It’s the largest auto-scandal settlement in U.S. history.
Confusion over plastic bag ban, death penalty measures: There are two measures on the ballot for each issue this year – and new survey shows that could cause some Californians to accidentally cast ballots opposite of their intentions. According to Capital Public Radio, the recent Capitol Weekly Survey found that 70 percent of likely voters who favored a “yes” vote on Proposition 65 thought they were voting against the plastic bag industry, when in reality that measure only looks at where funds from carry-out grocery bags will be allocated. It also found that 40 percent of likely voters who considered themselves against the death penalty favored Proposition 66, which would hasten executions.
Will the proposed tobacco tax increase make special interests wealthy? Capital Public Radio’s PolitiFact reporter, Chris Nichols, says that claim is “mostly false.” The claim is being circulated on a recent TV by opponents of Proposition 56, which would increase the price of cigarettes $2 per pack. Nichols says the reason he deemed the claim mostly false is the revenues from the tax would largely help raise reimbursement rates for doctors and clinics that serve Medi-Cal patients – and doctors don’t typically get rich serving those who receive Medi-Cal so the statement is misleading says Nichols.
Flood warnings for burn areas: Drought intensified wildfires in California have left many areas in the state prone to flooding. Capital Public Radio reporter Amy Quinton reports flood and fire officials are warning people both in and around areas that have been affected by wildfire to be aware that their surroundings could be flood prone and to have an emergency plan. Quinton writes that more than a half million acres in California have been burned by wildfires as of Oct. 15. She states that in some of those areas just a half inch of rain an hour could cause debris flow.